TRAI India releases recommendations on Reforming the Guidelines on Transfer / Mergers of Telecom License

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The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released recommendations on ‘Reforming the Guidelines on Transfer/ Mergers of Telecom Licenses

Department of Telecommunications (DoT) through its letter dated 8th May 2019, inter-alia, informed that the National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP), 2018 envisages simplifying and facilitating compliance obligations by reforming the Guidelines for Mergers & Acquisitions, 2014 to enable simplification and fast-tracking of approvals. Through the said letter, DoT has sought the recommendations of TRAI on ‘Reforming the Guidelines on Mergers & Acquisitions, 2014’.

In this regard, a Consultation Paper on “Reforming the Guidelines for Transfer / Merger of Telecom Licenses” was released providing the background information and seeking inputs of the stakeholders on reforms required to be made in the existing guidelines on Transfer/ Merger of Licenses to enable simplification and fast tracking of approvals. Comments from nine stakeholders and counter comments from two stakeholders were received. An Open House Discussion (OHD) was conducted on 23rd December 2019 in New Delhi.

Based on the comments/inputs received from the stakeholders and on its analysis, TRAI has finalized its Recommendations on ‘Reforming the Guidelines on Transfer / Mergers of Telecom License

The recommendations have been placed on TRAI’s website v.rww.trai.gov.in. For clarification/ information, if any, Shri S. T. Abbas, Advisor (Network Spectrum & Licensing), TRAI may be contacted at Telephone Number +91-11-23210481 or email at advmn@,trai.gov.i